Automatic driving-box wedge.



No. 653,079 Patented July 3, 190's. J. P. EVANS.

AUTOMATIC DRIVING BOX WEDGE.

(Application filed Mar, 29, 1900.) (No Model I v I" mug-""- we I I -I. l I

NlTFD Sa'rns 5 JOHN PUTNAM EVANS, or Ol-IARITON, IOWA, nsslenon or ONE-HALF TO JESSE C. EVANS, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC DRlVlNG- BOX WEDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,079, dated July 3, 1900.

Application filed March 29, 1 900. SerialNo.,10,683. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN PUTNAM EVANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohariton, in the county of Lucas and State of Iowa, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Automatic Driving- Box W'edges for Locomotives; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to automatic drivingboX wedges for locomotive-engines; and it has for its object the production of an improved wedge of this class that shall be simple of construction, positive and powerful in its action, and easy of adjustment to regulate the tension tohold the wedge up tightly to prevent the engine from pounding on centers; and the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of the parts of thesame,as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pedestal and axle of a locomotive embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the axle-box and pedestal. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line a ct in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the pedestal-yoke, the adj Listing-rods, the boxwedge, the upper and lower pairs of encircling springs,and the thumb-nuts on the lower ends of the adj listing-rods for varying the tension of said encircling springs.

Referring by letters and numerals to the accompanyin g drawings, 1 designates the pedestal of a locomotive, and A the journal-box. The pedestal is provided with parallel depending arms 2 3, betweenwhich the pedestal-yoke 4 is removably supported by the bolt 5, passed through holes in the depending arms 2 3 and through a longitudinal hole 5, made axially through said yoke 4.

6 6 are friction-plates rectangular in cross section and provided with marginal flanges, so that they may embrace the depending arms 2 3. The friction-plate 6" receives the wedge 7, connected to the pedestahyoke 4 by the vertically-disposed adj usting-rods 8 8,passed vertically through spring-seats 9 10, near one end of the pedestal-yoke 4, and encircled by the tension-springs 11 12 13 14, the two upper springs 11 and 12 being seated in seats 15 16 in the lower end of the wedge 7 and also in spring-seats 16 in the upper face of the pedestal-yoke 4, near one end thereof. The upper ends of spiral springs 13 14 encircle the downwardly-projecting ends of the adjusting-rods 8 S, the upper ends of said spiral springs being incased in seats 9 and 10 in the lower face of said pedestal-yoke 4, and are held to their adjustments by the thumb-nuts 20, which may be turned to regulate the tension on the springs.

When the'tension has been properly regulated on the springs, the pressure will remain about the same all the time as long as there has been no wear on the wedge; but as soon as wear takes place the springs will take up theslack.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic driving-box wedge for locom otive -engines, the combination with the parallel depending supporting-arms, of the friction-plates loosely engaging said depending arms, the pedestal-yoke removably secured between said depending arms, the j ournal-box engaging said friction-plates, the vertically-disposed adjusting-rods passing through spring-seats near one end of said yoke-spool, the upper spiral springs encircling the upper ends of said adjusting-rods and secured at their upper ends in seats in the baseof the journal-box wedge, and spiral springs encircling the projecting lower ends of said adj usting-rods and tension-regulating thumb-nuts on the projecting lower ends of said adj usting-rods, substantially as setforth.

2. In an automatic driving-box wedge for locomotives, the combination of the depending supporting-arms, the journal-box, the

friction-plates and the pedestal-yoke, the removable rod for connecting the pedestal-yoke to the lower ends of the supporting-arms, a wedge, adj usting-rods extending through said pedestal-yoke and adjustably connected to the wedge, a set of springs confined between the lower ends of the rods and the yoke, a set of springs confined between the yoke and the lower end of the wedge, and tighteningnuts on the lower ends of said adj listing-rods, i substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN PUTNAM EVANS. Witnesses:

WARREN S. DUNGAN, HARRY STEPHENSON. 

